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Cley Calling Presents: Bird Photographer of the Year 2017 Exhibition

Monday 05 February, 2018

We are thrilled to debut the very best imagery from last year’s globally prestigious Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition in an exhibition on display in the Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre at Cley Marshes from Thursday 1 February to Monday 16 April, 10am - 4pm.

The exhibition will include the following categories: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Attention to Detail, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Garden and Urban Birds, and Creative Imagery. The judging panel included Chris Packham, Norfolk-based photographer David Tipling, Andy Clements, Mark Avery, and other experts.

BPOTY, a collaboration between the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and Nature Photographers Ltd (NPL), attracted thousands of entries from over 50 countries around the globe, in only its second year. The winning entry, Pink Flamingo Feeding Young, was taken by Alejandro Prieto Rojas at Rio Legartos, Mexico, scooping him the top prize of £5,000.

Chris Packham, head judge on the panel of experts, said, “It was a tough job for the judging panel to whittle down the entries to a handful from which to choose the winners, albeit a very enjoyable tough job.” He added, “The standard of photography was extremely high and myself and the other judges were treated to some fantastic bird photographs, but congratulations must go to Alejandro Prieto Rojas for his sublime image of flamingos, an incredible balance of colour, composition and emotion.”

BPOTY helps raise funds for the BTO, and raised over £5,500 from entry fees alone. The money has been used to help support the BTO’s young birder boot camps aimed at engaging a younger generation of naturalists and ornithologists. Andy Clements, CEO of the British Trust for Ornithology, says: “I’m really proud to have BTO involved with this project, which has delivered such a positive conservation message.”

Cley Marshes Visitor Centre Manager, Ewan Carr, said: “We are delighted that BPOTY have once again chosen Cley Marshes to be the first to host the 2017 exhibition. We welcome everyone to come and visit the stunning exhibition, and would recommend topping off your visit with a delicious homemade scone or cake and a cup of tea! For those who simply cannot get enough of the images, the 2017 competition book is now available from our gift shop.”

The 2017 competition book, published by William Collins, displays a collection of competition entries and features the stories behind the images as told by the photographers themselves, plus all the technical camera information. RRP £25. Entrance to the exhibition is free.